One Amongst the Stars
by ArcticFox321
Summary: I stood on the ground of my father's farm, in Forget-Me-Not valley. He had passed away just four days ago, and my mother was sent back to the hospital in serious condition. And I, I was here, so far away from both of them. But what happened to me that night made me think twice about wanting to return home, no matter how selfish it seemed. Claire x Skye
1. Spring 1 - Claire

One Amongst the Stars

Disclaimer: I will only state this here in the first chapter, but as we all know, I don't own Harvest Moon. I'm pretty sure whoever does own Harvest Moon would not be busy writing fanfics about it. Or maybe they would. Who knows? Haha, please enjoy.

However, I do own the artwork that is posted as the cover page of this story. I'm an artist after all! ^^

* * *

Spring 1 – Claire

* * *

"_Claire! Daddy brought you home a present! Come see what it is!" My mother called from downstairs, the excitement in her voice obvious._

_I immediately dropped my pencil onto my homework and pushed my chair back from the brown desk, running down the hallway towards the staircase. My heart was racing, and a huge smile grew across my face._

_Father is back from the farm!_

_I hadn't seen sight or sound of him in weeks, but I had gotten used to it as it was the usual routine ever since my mother's condition had gotten worse. She had issues with her heart that she'd dealt with since childhood, but the symptoms she felt nowadays were a lot worse, so Father decided to buy a farm out in the neighboring valley, Forget-Me-Not, and raise money to pay for the expenses of her frequent hospital visits._

_Or at least that was what I gathered from listening to their late night conversations, long before Father had moved out._

_As I made my way down the stairs, my eyes lit up as I saw my parents smiling faces. A familiar feeling of warmth spread throughout my body as I saw my father's arm around my mothers' waist, meaning that all was well on the farm. We could put all our worries aside and be together as a family._

_And then he held out his arms, waiting for me to complete the family._

_"Father!" I yelled as he took me in his strong grasp. "You're back! I've missed you!"_

_He smiled down at me and held me tight. "I've missed you too, little one." He laughed when he said that, as he knew that I disliked it whenever he called me little. I had finally turned thirteen earlier that month, and I wanted to be seen as a responsible adult just like them._

_"Heey, don't call me that! I'm not little anymore, Father! See?" I pushed him back and stood up straight, puffing out my chest and placing my hands on my hips. "Mother says if I keep my posture correct then I'll grow faster. I've gotten taller!"_

_He laughed again as I tried to stand on my toes to make myself seem taller, and my mother even joined in after watching the both of us goofing around. "Oh, how I've missed this so..." he mumbled, running his hand through my long, golden hair._

_"Hm? What did you say, Father?" I asked innocently._

_"It was nothing, sweetheart. Here, come open your gift." _

_He slid a huge white box towards me, and my eyes widened in surprise. This gift was gigantic!_

_"Wow! What is this?! It's huge!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide and excited as I took in the decorative red ribbons that laced the outside of the box._

_"You'll just have to open it and see, sweetie. Though I do suggest you open it soon, the air supply in that box might be a little lacking…" he coughed out, smiling as he noticed my mother's surprised face looking at him. "You didn't, did you?" she asked, her blue eyes wide as they stared into his brown eyes._

_"Hmmm, did I? I'm not sure what you mean." He spoke smoothly, a smile spreading across his face.  
_

_"A PUPPY! Father, you got me a puppy!"_

_My mother's question had been confirmed, and she sighed, laughing a little. "You did."_

_I held the beautiful black puppy up in the air, squealing loudly as he licked my face. His tail wagged rapidly back and forth, and I was afraid it might break off, so I placed him down on the floor to run around. "What's his name, Father?"_

_"That's for you to decide, Claire." He replied, his warm smile drawing butterflies in my stomach._

_"Then I'll call him Bear! No, Max! Buddy?" I fought with myself as I mentally scrolled through the list of names that I had taken a liking too. I always kept track of names that I liked, so that one day I could name my children my most favorite names._

_"Have you picked one yet, Claire?" he asked me, hugging my mother again, but this time, it looked more like it was for support rather than out of love. I paid no mind to him though. Instead I smiled at him, and then fixed my gaze back on the cute black puppy._

_"Hmmm, let's call him—"_

_"Jack! Honey, what's wrong?" I heard my mother yell, and then I heard a loud 'THUD' as someone collapsed to the ground. Everything seemed to fade into grayscale at that moment. My father was on the ground by the front door, shaking wildly. Mother knelt by him, shouting stuff that I just couldn't hear anymore. She was tearing up, I could see her eyes glistening as light from the outside world poured in through the window. Then she looked at me, her mouth forming long strings of words._

_I tried to speak then, to ask what was wrong with Father. Why was he shaking so badly? Why did she look so scared? But as my lips parted, no sound escaped my mouth. My mouth felt dry, as if I had spent days in the grueling summer heat without any water. Then, a sharp pain pierced my chest, right above my heart. As I looked down, I stared into the lifeless eyes of a woman, blood stains on her chapped lips, trailing down her throat and across her shirt._

_I screamed, and still no sound came out. I screamed for my mother to wake up, and to help father, but she remained so heavy in my arms. I couldn't even lift her to bring her face to my chest._

_"What have you done?" a familiar voice cried out._

_My head snapped up and my eyes locked onto those of my Father's. But how could he be standing? He had collapsed just a moment ago. I looked back to the spot where he had fallen, and both he and my mother were gone. Now he stood over me, his face wrinkled and his eyes red and swollen._

_"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" his voiced boomed, louder than thunder._

_I was so frightened by his angry voice, and I cringed under his glare. I finally managed to raise my hand to reach out to Father, but my eyes widened in horror as I noticed blood all over it. And the blood was all over my arms, and all over my clothes. My heart was beating fasting than any drum had ever gone, faster and faster._

_And then my heart ceased to beat. My arm dropped back to my side, absolutely lifeless._

_"NOOO!" I finally managed to scream, clamping my eyes shut tight. "I didn't do it!"_

_"_No, father!"

My body jolted and I sat straight up in my bed. Darkness welcomed my clear blue eyes as they rapidly dashed back and forth, trying to convince my mind that what I had just seen was only a dream.

No…not a dream. It was a terrifying nightmare.

I inhaled deeply, feeling a burning sensation as my lungs filled with the dust in the air. It left an empty, icy chill in my chest as I exhaled. _It's not real. That never happened._

I was wide awake now, as the desire to sleep was the furthest from my mind. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stood and gathered the blankets that I had kicked to the floor, dropping them in a messy pile back on the bed. The wooden floor felt painfully cold beneath the soles of my bare feet, stinging with every step that I took as I walked through the darkness towards the bathroom.

As I flicked on the light, I felt a tight pull in my chest as I saw a bathroom other than the one I was used to. There weren't tons of my mother's favorite lotions lined up along the counter of the sink, or even my father's favorite colognes. Only one toothbrush was in the cup next to the sink. The pale blue color of the wall seemed to stretch on forever as my eyes traveled over to the toilet and shower in the back corner of the bathroom.

_Ah. That's right. This is my bathroom now. I really did move out from home._

I struggled to look at myself in the mirror above the sink, but when I did, I was confused as to who I was staring at. Who was this girl staring back at me? Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked like she had been crying for days. The rosy skin of her cheeks was flushed, and her blond hair was tousled and frizzy. The large t-shirt that she had slept in looked old and worn as it slid off of her shoulder.

_Why have you been so sad?_

Disgusted, I turned from the mirror and walked back out into the darkness, this time heading towards the front door. There were no stairs to descend, as it was only just a small one floor home.

And as I opened the door, my vision went blurry as my eyes filled with tears.

I stood on the ground of my father's farm, in Forget-Me-Not valley. He had passed away just four days ago, and my mother had to be sent back to the hospital as a result. And I, _I_ was _here_, so far away from both of them. I choked out a sob and collapsed to the ground, burying my head in my lap.

"Nnnng…!"

I could feel the warm trail of my emotions trickling down my cheeks. I tightened my eyes so tight that I thought the skin would tear.

"God dammit! Damn you!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I didn't care who heard me in this unfamiliar village.

"Who said you could leave me! What gave you the right to just _leave?!"_

_CLANG! CLANG!_

The sudden clanging of tools in the shed just up ahead of my house shook me out of my fury.

"Who's there?" I choked out.

My eyes shot up just in time to see something jet out from inside the shed, clearly in a hurry to get away from the farm, and most likely to get away from me as well.

"Hey! Wait!" My legs pulled me up and before I realized it I was following this person. Just how long had it been since I'd seen another person? I was forced to come to the farm as soon as I'd learned of my father's passing, or else it would've been sold immediately to another farmer that needed the land. So after painfully leaving both my parents behind, I locked myself in my father's old home and didn't come out since. I hadn't even the slightest idea of where I was running to at the moment. I just knew that I _wanted_ to run_, _to be _free_ of all this pain.

The crisp air brushed against my bare legs as I ran down a dirt path in just a plain white t-shirt. It didn't bother me who saw me then, I looked awful and I knew it and I _just didn't care._ I wasn't much of a runner, and I could feel my heart beating much faster than it normally should, even at a running pace. Slowing down drastically, and then coming to a complete halt, I leaned against a nearby tree to catch my breath.

"Hehe…did you follow me here after all? Tsk, tsk…" a man's voice spoke, calm and crystal clear as the night sky.

As I looked up, I stared into beautiful emerald green eyes that seemed to see right through me. My heart skipped a beat, and I had to avert my gaze, looking instead at the rest of his body. He was tall, thin as well, but he didn't appear to be weak. He wore a flashy leopard print button down, and deep blue jeans that hugged his figure.

But the most captivating thing about this man was his hair. His shiny silver hair that trailed down to his shoulders and lightly covered his face. It was almost mesmerizing underneath the moonlight. His entire being seemed god-like as he stood before the Goddess pond, his hands tucked away in his pockets.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I felt my eyes watering again and I turned away, realizing that I looked like _this_ before such a handsome man. Immediately I dropped down to the ground, covering as much of my skin as I could with my large shirt, also hiding my reddening face behind my blonde hair.

I could hear a light chuckle in the background, but I didn't dare to look. He was laughing at me and I was almost one-hundred percent sure of it. The crunching of leaves beneath feet startled me, and my heart began to beat faster again as my mind raced.

Was he coming towards me?

I froze as I felt his warm breath travel down my neck.

"A smile suits you better than tears, pretty woman." He was _really _close. "Just as the stars compliment this beautiful night, your beauty will always compliment your person."

What exactly did he mean by that?

Slowly, I raised my head up and my eyes met his for a second time, causing me to turn red. His eyes were absolutely _gorgeous_. The shined like actual emeralds that had been polished over and over for hours. My heart throbbed again, but this time it was more painful, causing me to double over.

"Ack! Agh!" I cried out, grasping my shirt in a tight fist.

Then suddenly everything went black as I lost consciousness, and I could feel myself falling forward towards the ground.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_

* * *

**Author's Note**: So, what did you think of the first chapter of One Amongst the Stars? I tried not to make it too depressing and stuff, but hey, things aren't always bunches of daisies when someone in your immediate family passes away, are they? But rest assured, the story does get happier!

Aside from that, I really hope that everyone enjoyed it so far. I also hope that everyone enjoyed my cover page for the story. I spent _hours_ upon _hours_ working on it. I plan to update this story possibly every weekend, but if worse comes to worse then it will be every other weekend.

I really appreciate reviews and constructive criticisms, and also, although I already have most of the story planned out, if anyone has any suggestions then just leave them in a comment and I will see if I can possibly work it in. Thanks for reading!

~ArcticFox321


	2. Spring 1 - Skye

One Amongst the Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon. I state this for safety reasons. And the hope that I won't be hunted down if I leave it out. Please enjoy!

**A/N**: I hope that this gives some insight into the mind of the elusive thief, Phantom Skye. I didn't want to make him seem like a complete jerk, but he is a sly and smooth-talking gorgeous man, so why not?

* * *

Spring 1 – Skye

* * *

The floorboards creaked beneath my feet as I made my way down the halls of the famed "Ruby's Inn", a somewhat popular inn found in Forget-Me-Not valley. There was quite an abundance of valuable items strewn carelessly throughout the vacant rooms, and I took it upon myself to carefully _borrow_ them and perhaps return them at some other time.

_Or not._

That thought brought a playful smirk to my lips, and I struggled to keep down a chuckle. I always manage to humor myself when I'm alone with my thoughts.

Being a thief was what I was best at anyways. My own personal job, if you may. Yet, it may not occur to many people that I was not always a lowly thief who earned the week's pay through stealing and selling expensive items. However, that is an entirely different story that does not pertain to my current situation.

The drawstrings of my heartily filled bag pressed down on my shoulder, creating a growing pain that I knew would leave a mark upon my beautiful, flawless skin. Frowning, I stopped my cat walk and readjusted my bag, stuffing more of my leopard print button down shirt under the strings, sort of like a shoulder pad.

_Hehehe…oh, how creative I could be sometimes._

My smirk grew larger as I rounded the front desk and made my way to the large sliding doors. How foolish the individuals of this inn must be to ignore the blatant warning, _warning_, once again, of my silent attack tonight. I understand that 2:00AM might be an inconvenient time for most to wake up, but seriously?

I basically announced that I was stealing your shit, for crying out loud.

Pardon my language, I can't help but voice my thoughts when I find something that truly irks me.

Sliding the doors open, I began my escape. "Perhaps next time you would heed my warning?" I mumbled, spinning around on the heels of my shoes. My eyes widened as I came face to face with a pudgy short woman with short black hair, whom I presumed to be Ruby, and a taller blonde boy, not nearly as handsome as I. I panicked for a moment, but gathered myself together again and calmly handled the situation.

"And where do you think you're heading?" Ruby spoke sternly, her hands on her hips.

_Handle the situation, Skye. Handle it._

"Why, you must be Ruby? I must admit, your beauty surpasses that of other women I have seen around here." I said, smiling seductively as I softly ran my hand through her hair.

She stared at me, taken aback by my comment, and a faint blush crept along her cheeks. Rock on the other hand stood dumbfounded, his mouth hanging to the ground. "Duuude, that's just wrong!" he cried out, swiftly covering his eyes as if he had been an innocent 5-year-old child walking in on his parents making love.

"Hehe, I take it you must not be popular with the ladies." I laughed, speaking to Rock.

His head shot up, his face a deep red and anger flaring in his eyes. "Are you kidding me? I've slept with every girl in this village!" he yelled, trying to intimidate me. "You're just an old man who hits on old women!"

Ruby then turned to face Rock, feeling insulted by her son's outburst. "Are you calling me old, boy?!"

"N-no! Wait, Mom, I didn't mean you!" he answered, sweat forming on his head.

"Just see who cooks you dinner from now on!"

I stood before the arguing mother and son, wondering how much time had actually gone by since they last addressed my presence. Clearing my throat obnoxiously loud, I shifted my weight from my relaxed stance and prepared to take off.

"Beautiful, and _you_," I started, referring to Rock as I paused. "I would _love_ to stay and supervise your bickering but it is awfully late, and I really must be going."

Suddenly they both realized that I was, indeed, _robbing them._

"W-wait! Stop, you thief!" Ruby yelled, trying to grab me. I evaded her easily and began running.

"Until I see you next, Beautiful." I said, and then took off through the brush and woods, never looking back. I was absolutely positive that they wouldn't follow me, as I was very quick on my feet and was out of their sight within seconds.

* * *

Soon I arrived at my secret hideout: the abandoned farm just up the hill from Ruby's Inn. I'd inspected the area earlier this week when I'd first arrived in Forget-Me-Not valley. The place was old and run-down, having nothing of value to me. But it offered me shelter during the late hours of the night or during passing storms, so I made myself at home. The tool shed was the only building that had no windows, but it was also the only one with a working light, which was ideal for my current situation.

Quietly closing the door behind me, I sat down in the far back corner on my "bed", which I made out of old sacks and bushels that were stacked against the wall. I made sure to steer clear of all the sharp tools, most of which I'd never handled, or will ever handle, for that matter. Farming was something I detested. Hours upon hours of work spent tending to crops, caring for animals, and dealing with the people of this village…_ugh._ The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.

"Hehe…" I chuckled, inspecting today's profits.

A shiny silver watch, a pair of pearl earrings, a brooch, expensive lotions and perfumes, and a gold chain bracelet...I smirked and tossed everything back into my bag.

_You did a fine job today, as always, Phantom Skye._

I wasn't really sure when I'd gotten into the habit of patting myself on the back every time I was successful in my missions, but it didn't bother me. I've got the right to be proud of _something_ that I do, right?

Finally lying down, I relaxed all the muscles in my body and heaved a heavy sigh. My gaze remained fixed on the uneven panels of the ceiling, the grooves in all of the wooden planks, and the nails that held them together. A wave of nervousness blew over me as I realized just how likely this shed was to collapse on me when I was sleeping, but that wasn't enough to scare me away. Hell, I wasn't even scared the one time I had to woo a member of the opposite gender just to gain access to the building he was guarding.

Crossing my arms behind my head, I closed my eyes and drifted into a light sleep.

* * *

"_Simon! Can't you do anything right?! Sit up straight and listen to me when I'm talking to you!" An older woman yelled, cracking a ruler down across my fingers. Her dark black hair cascaded down over her shoulders and nearly touched the floor, and she wore an expensive, form-fitting yellow kimono that had detailed embroidery along the hems._

_I sat at the expensive ivory table, head down, and continued to receive the "mild" punishment for not being able to live up to my parents standards. I wore an embarrassing ensemble of an outfit: a white button up top garnished with a red bowtie, and knee-length denim shorts, followed by long white socks and black loafers. My silver hair was neatly brushed back out of my face, the way my father usually wore his hair under his hat._

_The uptight, strict woman standing before me was my mother, Keria. My father, Vaughn, had found her sleeping in the deepest part of a mine when he was younger, and he immediately fell in love. With this thing. And what's worse, she named me Simon. SIMON. I mean, I know that she didn't really care for me, but of all the names she could've chosen, why that one? Why not something cooler, like Blake? Or even Skye? But alas, what did an 11-year-old know, after all?_

_When she wasn't busy trying to be a mother, she was fantasizing over the stacks of golden lumber that my father would bring home to her every week or so, which she would fawn over for a couple hours and then sell for some cash._

_My father was hopelessly in love with this selfish woman, and I just couldn't understand why._

"_You'll never be like your father if you keep behaving this way." She snorted out, gazing down at me with half-lidded eyes. __My eyes remained on my lap the entire time, tears threatening to spill over. My mind was telling me to stay seated, but my heart told me to run._

_Shoving the chair back, I stumbled slightly as I ran to the front door, surprised that she remained exactly in place._

"_I hate you! I'm leaving and never coming back! Who said I wanted to be like Father, anyways?!" I yelled childishly, squeezing my fists by my side. "Neither of you care about me!"_

_Keria took a few steps towards me, and I grasped the doorknob in my hand, my back pressed against the door._

"_Simon, you have no idea what it means to be on your own." She spoke quietly, and sadness spread across her face._

"_Well maybe it's time I learned." I shot back, glaring at her as I slammed the door behind me on my way out._

_I felt myself sliding down the door into a cradled position, and I just shivered. It wasn't cold outside, or even breezy. But the chill I felt in my body made me feel so cold. My hands grasped my hair tightly, and I just sat there, my head in my lap._

* * *

My eyes shot open and I stared up at the same old ceiling again. I'm sure I had only been asleep for an hour or two, as moonlight filtered in from the gap between the shed door and the ground. I had been awoken by the sound of yelling, or screaming, perhaps, coming from outside. Curious as to what was going on, I cracked the door open and peeked out.

"Nnnng…!"

A small blonde girl sat curled up outside the log cabin house, the one I assumed had been vacant. The front door was left wide open. I noticed a light coming from a room in the far back of the home, so I could see some of the details of her figure. She was clearly crying, upset about something. She wore an over-sized, un-flattering t-shirt, probably one she received from her older brother or father.

I squinted slightly, to get a clearer view of her attire.

_Ah, no pants…_

I felt my face heating up a bit, and my body began to throb, but I quickly shook those thoughts.

What exactly was she doing on this farm, anyhow? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had a feeling that she could be the newcomer taking over this dump of a farm. I'd heard some of the gossip spewing out from the Blue Bar a few nights ago. That loud blonde was talking a mile per minute…something about a moody, depressed girl who had locked herself up in her father's home and refused to work. That information seemed to slip my mind, as the gossip that goes around usually is told just to stir up some sort of action and conflict in this dried up village.

But yet, as she crouched there under the soft moonlight, I swore she was glowing. I felt my cheeks warming again, as I was never really moved by just a woman's appearance. This woman, however, had the aura of an angel around her. Or it could just be my mind playing tricks on me.

"God dammit! Damn you! Who said you could leave me! What gave you the right to just _leave?!_"

Her yelling scared the crap out of me, and I stumbled backwards into one of the old wooden shelves lined with tools. They all fell to the ground, creating a symphony of loud, unruly noises that only tools would make when hitting each other. I sat there on the ground, covered in tools, white as a ghost.

_Shit! Shit! I've blown my cover, I need to go!_

Without thinking, I dashed out from the shed and cut through the woods again, heading towards my favorite spot in the entire valley. Goddess Pond.

"Hey! Wait!" I heard her yell from behind me, but I couldn't risk being caught, not even for this woman.

Everything around me became blurred into a messy painting as I danced around trees and bushes. I arrived at Goddess pond in no time, turning that lengthy ten minute walk into a two minute sprint. What good would running do, though? I knew that she was going to follow me. Every woman that I have ever met has always followed me. I was _irresistible_, a charm that I had undoubtedly and unfortunately received from my parents. But I had learned to work with it, and use my appearance as an advantage to win over gullible women in order to gain what I wanted. I would never allow myself to turn out like my own Father did, succumbing to a single woman and slaving away at her feet.

I smirked to myself, keeping my back to the trail behind me as I heard footsteps approaching swiftly. I mentally prepared what I would say to this woman so I could instantly capture her heart and get her to do as I pleased.

Turning slowly, I parted my lips and turned into Phantom Skye.

"Hehe…did you follow me here after all? Tsk, tsk…" I said smoothly, seductively almost.

I stood there, eyes closed, hands tucked away in my pockets, and waited for her reply.

And I waited…and waited…

Cracking my eyes open slightly, I noticed the girl a couple feet away from me, holding onto the large tree by the path, trying to catch her breath.

_My, was she really that tired after a little jog?_

But then I realized that her gaze was indeed cast upon me, and my breath caught in my throat. Her eyes were a gorgeous, piercing blue, illuminated under the stars of the night sky. Her face was small, round, and angelic, just as I had guessed. Yet, beneath that beauty, I could see pain written all over her, just as it had been over me years ago. Her mouth dropped open, and it seemed as if she was trying to say something back to me, but I heard nothing.

She startled me as she dropped down to the ground, hugging her knees. Her head was in her lap, and I could see that she was shaking slightly. Had she finally realized that she was scantily clad in front of _the_ Phantom Skye?

_Hmm…this woman…she is somewhat interesting…what shall I do next?_

I smirked to myself as I began to approach her, thinking of all the different ways I could tease her to get a reaction out of her. Leaning in close to her ear, I could see that she was completely frozen still, afraid of what I was going to do.

I froze myself, a strong sense of guilt washing over me as I re-considered my ill-natured treatment of this unstable girl. Was she afraid of men, perhaps? Letting out a huge sigh, I stared down at her hands that grasped the hem of her t-shirt tightly. Then my eyes traveled up to her shoulders, which still trembled slightly as a result of me breathing on her neck. And _her neck_, oh how _tempting_ it looked up close.

"A smile suits you better than tears, pretty woman." _What? What had I said to her?_ "Just as the stars compliment this beautiful night, your beauty compliments your person."

And then she looked up at me again with those big, blue eyes, and my heart shook again. Just _what_ was this woman doing to me?

As I opened my mouth to say something else, I realized that she appeared to be in _pain._ Her hands clutched her shirt right above her chest, and then she began to cry out in pain, falling over.

And I, _the Phantom Skye_, who had sworn never to repeat my Father's foolish past, reached out to her and caught her in my arms.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**A/N**: So this was the follow up chapter to the first one, which was told from Claire's point of view. This is how I plan to tell the entire story, alternating between Claire and Skye, so I will get into habit of uploading two chapters at once! Anyhow, I hope you all enjoyed it! The next two chapters should be out in about a week or two, so stay tuned!

Please review if you have the time, I would really appreciate it! :D


End file.
